Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-10-06
FROM THE SOUTHWE
AN INTERESTING CHAT WITH Mr.. ]. D.
WHITMAN. OF NRw MEXICO,
A Former Wsll-Known Resident Of Ohio County
He Thinks the Country Down There the Fnssiln
the Land, and Talks About Wheeling People

The REGISTER yesterday morning con-
tanned q mention of the fact that MIR. j.. u.
Whitman, an old resident of Ohio county,
was in the city on a visit to friends after
an absence Of two or three years. Yester-
terday a reporter met Mr.. Whitman, n
had a very interesting chat with him, the
substance of which is appended.
81 am now located in New Mexico
said Mr.. Whitman, 'at Kingston. | have
Just arrived from ST Louis, where | have
been attending the great G. A. r. reunion,
as you may guess by my badge. / have
seen your issue containing an account OF
the reunion here and of the banner which
you hung out, and which the boys marched
around-sent me by James McVener, a
staunch Democrat, and who | am now on
my road to see. His brother, Ed McVener,
went out with US TO New Mexico and died
there. People here all know Ed McVener,
who went ont over four years ago with
Nose Ray and others to New Mexico. /
nave his valise here"
But, say, how do you like that u
try?"
"Well if a fellow is making the same
money there that he is here / would much
rather live there. 1t is a magnificent
country, and having met people who have
been in all the booming sections of Col
orado, California and the Northwest, /
know of no place where l would sooner To-
cate than in New Mexico"
'Why SOP"
'I'speak from q financial point of view
as well as climatic. People whom you
ought to know have made money out
there, and have had opportunities which
people ordinarily do not have but once in
q life time"
"Wbat do you mean"
'Well Frank Cald we'll and Others went
out to Kingston, in the southwest corner
of the Territory, where | now live with
my family, and put some money in a mill
reduction works for taking silver out
OF ore. They did not understand their
business and failed, Of course. They had
offers of property-mines-which if they
had purchased they would have been worth
more money to-day than they can possibly
have made. For instance, Frank Cald-
well was offered the Lady Franklin mine
in Kingston for $40, 000. 1t has been sold
for $3.50, 600 within a year, and a million
and q half could not touch it now"
care you here TO stay now, Mr.. Width
amp"
mo, sir, emphatically. | have been at
tending the &. A. r. meeting at st. Louis
and came here on account of cheap rates,
and as soon as | can get some business ar
ranged | expect to return to New Mexico.
l met several West Virginisns in st. Louis,
among them Col. Northcott of our Twelfth
W. Va. Regiment, Lee Raymond and about
thirty others, and among Others c. j.
Golf, brother of General Golf, who is inter
ested in a mill and mines about sixty
miles north of us, and is in a fair way to
reach q fortune. Al. Franzheim is out
there. He is very quiet about his business
but he will be O millionaire one of these
days"
"Do you know Lawyer Ferguson?"
eyes. He is located in Albuquerque
and has done better financially than he
could possibly have done here, either finan-
cially or in any other way. He is now one
of the leading lawyers of the Territory.
He was down at our County Court the
other day and created quite a good impress
sion. Furguson is making money"
And you do not think of returning
here?"
"Not at all. The only thing hat would
induce me to return here il your natural
gas. ! think that is Heavens last and
best gift to man. This country is finished
i do not know Of anything more to com
plete it,"
"Do the Indians bother You people out
there?"
well, they nave been troublesome, but
l think there is no further cause for appre-
hension. While they were on the war
path / always had to keep a double-bar-
relied shot gun loaded with buck shot
handy for them. The country is settling
up so fast that all danger in this direction
will soon he over-in fact, | think it is over
at present.